Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said his country is keen to enhance its relations with Russian Federation and wants a multi-dimensional relationship with it in key sectors like trade, defence and energy.
Advertisement
Jaishankar and Choudhry took turns to read out the one-page joint statement but refused to take questions from the media. “The consensus on the nature of terrorism, on action against perpetrators of terrorism, and agreement to discuss all issues bilaterally, is evidence of goodwill and a commitment to create the harmony that carries a dialogue process forward”, the party said.
Modi has agreed to make a landmark visit to Pakistan next year to attend a meeting of South Asian leaders in Islamabad, India’s Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said yesterday, signalling a warming of ties between the nuclear-armed neighbours after a year of tensions.
After their meeting, the two PMs issued a joint statement announcing, among other initiatives, decision of the two countries to release all the fishermen lodged in each other’s jail within two weeks, with their boats.
Ufa (Russia): India and Pakistan on Friday agreed to expedite the Mumbai terror attack trial.
The Modi-Sharif meeting is believed to have steered away from the contentious Kashmir issue.
Hurriyat Conference (G) spokesperson Ayaz Akbar said the outcome of talks was “not unexpected” and they had not hoped for any good results either out of the meeting. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Sharif will hold bilateral talks? the first in more than a year? on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit. Both leaders had exchanged pleasantries.
Asked if he was happy about the meeting, he said: “Yes”.
While the BJP said the meeting paves way for partnership between the nations, the Congress said the Centre has diluted the long-standing position of India on terrorism.
During their talks, it was agreed that the judicial hearings on Mumbai terrorist attacks, which are going on in Pakistan court, must be expedited. “With this move, both countries have a great opportunity to pick up the thread from where Mr. Vajpayee [former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee] and Mr. Musharraf [former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf] had left”.
Recent Indian attacks on militants across the border in Myanmar were followed by remarks by Modi’s ministers who implied such strikes could also be carried out in Pakistan, The Times of India reported.
“The engagement at different levels will hopefully open new possibilities”, the home minister said in a series of tweets.
Advertisement
Political opposition in India also criticized Modi. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has combined his attendance at the summit in Russian Federation with visits to SCO members Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. “He (Modi) has the courage and conviction, we know it, and the people know it. He can teach Pakistan a lesson”.
